16 Gauge Barrel
 

I have a 16 gauge harmerless Parker,ordered July 12,1901 and shipped September 13,1901, my research letter says that the barrel lenght was 30 inches and choked RH Mod and LH Full, I have checked all the serial numbers, they all match.
I have looked at the end of the barrel, the barrels touch and the engraving stops short of the end of the barrel. Thus, the barrel does not appear to be have shortened. But the barrel lenght is 28 inches and it is choked Cyl and Cyl.

The research letter states the gun was returned on Nov 21, 1907 to be restock and remove dents and clean barrels.

So, can the research be incorrect or could have something else occurred.

Richard

Cut.

What tool did you use to measure the chokes? Even if cut 2 inches there should be some amount of constriction in the tubes. Parker’s used 4 to 5 inches in their normal choking process. If you didn’t use a bore gauge then there could still be some choke left in the barrels, unless they were honed out to cylinder on purpose.

Used a bore gauge to measure the chokes. IF the barrel was cut and honed, Then why are the barrels together at the end (no space between the barrels) and why is there an blank( not engraved) lenght at the end of the barrel ?

Richard

The answer may never be told, but the speculation is fun. There are many possibilities. I have seen cut barrels still touching with 4" removed.(1) A lot has to do with the gauge vs frame size, but generally, they are quite likely to be touching each other 2" back from the muzzle.
(2) Skilled people have faked the "blank" at the end of the rib.
(3)The rib 'could' be shortened on the dolls head end, moved back, then re-soldered.
(4)The "book" could be wrong, and they were always 28", and honed by someone in the past.
(5) The book was right, but a different set of barrels could have been fitted and renumbered.

It isn't universally true that longer barrels are more tightly choked, but that's a reasonable assumption.
Original Parker reamers have shown the taper was straight, at least at certain periods. In this case, it holds true that the tighter the choke, the longer it is. An IC choke will almost certainly become cyl when cut back two inches. Likewise, a Full choke will be more like Mod when cut back 2". whatever the answer, in the end it's just speculation.

Richard, can you post a picture of the end of the barrels

Thanks for your insight(speculation), since the gun was sent back to Parker in 1907( made in 1901) to be restocked and dents removed from the barrel, it is quite possible that the barrel and rib were shorten and honed to cyl and cyl at that time. Anyhow, I enjoy to shooting the gun at SxS meets and elsewhere , so it will stay with me and be passed on to family. Richard

I will see about picture, my be awhile, old folks learn slowly, Richard

Richard, if you like the gun, shoot it well, and plan to keep it, that sounds like a perfect outcome.

I hope this works, attached are two picture of the front of the barrelhttp://Parker 16 Barrel